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Movies / Upcoming / The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

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Reviews Counted:215

Fresh:207

Rotten:8

Average Rating:8.4/10

Consensus: The Two Towers continues the LOTR trilogy with few missteps.

Runtime: 3 hrs 34 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

US Box Office: $340,478,898

Synopsis: Picking up where the first film left off, Peter Jackson's THE TWO TOWERS throws the remaining members of the Fellowship into the scattered chaos of Middle-earth, now fully under siege by the forces... Picking up where the first film left off, Peter Jackson's THE TWO TOWERS throws the remaining members of the Fellowship into the scattered chaos of Middle-earth, now fully under siege by the forces of Sauron. While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) journey to the dreaded Mordor, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are held captive by orcs, and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) search for their abducted companions. Soon Frodo and Sam are joined by the sulking and duplicitous Gollum (portrayed by the voice and motion-captured acting of Andy Serkis), who becomes their guide through the barren lands leading to Mount Doom. Meanwhile Merry and Pippin encounter the looming Treebeard (voiced by Rhys-Davies) and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli find themselves in the land of Rohan, accompanied by an old friend. As the tale continues, each scenario becomes more perilous, and fierce battles erupt at both Isengard, home of the treacherous Saruman (Christopher Lee), and the massive Helm's Deep. After masterfully setting up the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien in THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, Jackson continues the trilogy with the increasingly dark and battle-filled TWO TOWERS without skipping a beat. Although the director takes a few more liberties in adapting the second installment, he skillfully cuts from one scenario to the next, creating a tightly woven tapestry with the various storylines. Joining the impressive cast this time around are Miranda Otto as Éowyn; Bernard Hill as her father, King Théoden; Brad Dourif as the aptly named Grima Wormtongue; Karl Urban as Éomer; David Wenham as Faramir; and Serkis under the remarkable CGI facade of Gollum. An intense epic that features one jaw-dropping sequence after another, THE TWO TOWERS more than carries its weight as the crucial centerpiece of THE LORD OF THE RINGS. [More]

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Miranda Otto, Bernard Hill, Liv Tyler, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, Cate Blanchett

Director: Peter Jackson

Director: Peter Jackson
Screenwriter: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
Producer: Barrie M. Osborne, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Tim Sanders
Composer: Howard Shore
Studio: New Line Cinema

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Reviews for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
03/07/03
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
01/06/03
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Jackson and co have brought back the value and respect for the term epic cinema.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
12/27/02
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

Spectacular entertainment.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
02/18/09
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

Glorious escapism that will not make you feel dirty the morning after.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
04/29/08
Matthew De Abaitua
Matthew De Abaitua
Channel 4 Film

More graphic in its violence and more fantastic in its imaginings than the first film.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
03/05/08
J. R. Jones
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader

The battle is one of the best of its kind in film history, a symphony of bloodlust and hopes dashed and restored.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
08/13/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Yes, Peter Jackson demands nine hours of your time. But I can't think of a director more deserving.

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

In size and scale, Jackson has redefined the word 'epic' -- but his attention to the small things really gives this series its awesome stature.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

And the Masterpiece continues.

Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs | comment Comment
09/30/05
Scott Nash
Scott Nash
Three Movie Buffs

I began to wonder, as the waves crashed about: Is it still possible for a movie to get excited about people?

Full Review Source: Nation | comment 4 Comments
03/03/05
Stuart Klawans
Stuart Klawans
Nation

Tolkien made every character's heart a battlefield between desire and selflessness, and Jackson underlines and boldfaces this theme. Call it Soul Wars, Episode Two.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
01/15/05
Jeffrey Overstreet
Jeffrey Overstreet
Christianity Today

The final act's battle scene is the most spectacular medieval type ever filmed. (Pubished 1-3-03)

Full Review Source: Kansas City Kansan | comment Comment
11/01/04
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan

This second installment in the trilogy ends with Gandalf intoning that the battle for Middle-Earth is about to begin. I'm pumped.

Full Review Source: New York Magazine | comment Comment
08/07/04
Peter Rainer
Peter Rainer
New York Magazine

With one film to go, Peter Jackson is on the verge of completing a trifecta that will rank among the greatest achievements in film history.

Full Review Source: Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) | comment 2 Comments
01/06/04
Greg Maki
Greg Maki
Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)

The most impressive new element in this installment is the completely CGI-created Gollum...he turns in the best performance.

Full Review Source: Critic Doctor | comment Comment
12/17/03
Peter Sobczynski
Peter Sobczynski
Critic Doctor

Equally as compelling as its predecessor, and perhaps more technically awesome, Peter Jackson’s second Middle Earth chapter is, as expected, very, very cool.

Full Review Source: EDGE Boston | comment Comment
10/07/03
David Foucher
David Foucher
EDGE Boston

It is, simply, what movie-making should be, the kind of film that proves that 'quality cinema' and 'blockbuster entertainment' are not, and should not be, mutually exclusive.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Weekly | comment Comment
09/07/03
Josh Bell
Josh Bell
Las Vegas Weekly

Both Gollum and the battles are a triumph of integrated art, technology, and sheer logistics.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
08/20/03
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
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Latest News for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

July 13, 2008: Guillermo del Toro - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview
We have an extended chat with the director of Cronos, Pan's Labyrinth and this week's Hellboy II to talk about his career past, present and future and tap him for juicy... More...

March 27, 2008: Ian McKellen Is Not Too Busy for The Hobbit
Even while The Hobbit was in legal limbo, Sir Ian McKellen wasn't shy about letting people know he wanted to reprise his role as Gandalf for the Lord of the Rings prequel(s). More...

January 14, 2008: Elijah Wood: Once a Frodo, Always a Frodo
Count Elijah Wood as one of the millions excited about the news of Peter Jackson's involvement in those planned Hobbit films -- and another member of the Lord of the Rings cast... More...

December 18, 2007: Peter Jackson, New Line Kiss and Make Up; Jackson to Produce Two Hobbit Films
Rejoice, nerds! Peter Jackson is heading back to Middle-earth! More...

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